Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has held its 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lottery.
The lottery was set to take place by the end of 2020, but was delayed due to the global coronavirus pandemic, among other reasons, according to IRCC.
Those who have been drawn from the lottery have 60 days to submit their sponsorship application to IRCC, however IRCC will provide extensions due to COVID-related delays.
According to a CBC report, IRCC will be gradually inviting sponsors who have been drawn from the lottery over the next 10 days.
The launch of the 2020 PGP was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. IRCC then opened the interest to sponsor window between October 13 and November 3. During this period, Canadian citizens and permanent residents were able to indicate their desire to IRCC to sponsor their parents and grandparents to obtain permanent resident status.
60 days to apply, but extensions to be provided if COVID-19 causes delays
Sponsors who were drawn from the lottery have 60 days to submit their sponsorship application and supporting documents to IRCC. However, in its invitation letters to sponsors, IRCC states:
If you can’t get a supporting document due to service disruptions from COVID-19, include an explanation and/or proof you can’t submit it within the 60-day deadline in your application package. If you still don’t have it after the 60 days, you’ll get a 90-day extension. You should submit these documents as soon as you are able to get them.
The eligibility criteria for PGP sponsorship includes:
- Being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Being at least 18 years old
- Meet the Minimum Necessary Income level
- Sign a sponsorship undertaking agreement. Under this agreement, sponsors and co-signers must repay any social assistance paid to their sponsored relatives. The length of the undertaking is 20 years for sponsors and co-signers living outside of Quebec, and 10 years for sponsors living in Quebec.
30,000 applications to be accepted under Parents and Grandparents Program 2021
IRCC has stated it will announce details on the 2021 PGP in the first half of the New Year. It will use a lottery system once again. This means that sponsors will be provided with a window to indicate their interest to sponsor on IRCC’s website, and then IRCC will hold another lottery. The 2021 PGP will be three times bigger than the 2020 PGP intake, as IRCC has said it will accept up to 30,000 applications.
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